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Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.
DON’T DO IT ! ! !
Etsy should give the Sellers that drive business to their Etsy stores via their efforts on Social media a 15% fee credit for bringing the business to Etsy in the first place. In fact they should continue to get this 15% fee credit for any and all purchases that buyer makes on Etsy for the next 30 days. Fair is Fair !!!!
The audacity is stunning! Promote your site in social media so that when you get a sale, you can PAY an extra selling fee for your efforts.
Incredible!
Newbies and amateur sellers will promote Etsy like crazy – they don’t know any better or are on the high of, “I started my own business and Etsy is allowing me to be here – thank you Etsy!”
Professional business people have their own websites. They promote their OWN websites on social media.
In the olden days Etsy was a good place to get exposure for your business. Before the site was overrun with factory made crap. Before Etsy “reimagined” what handmade meant, changing their definition to anything you have an idea for and send out to someone else to mass produce. Before selling electronic parts, pens, pencils and literally everything else could be listed as a supply.
Etsy takes advantage of everyone they can and if people aren’t smart enough to promote their OWN site, then that’s on them.
If Etsy did not try to grab that extra 12-15% with a retargeted ad, I would promote on social media, just like I always used to. But, with the retargeting (super unfair and a money grab, IMO) it is not worth the time and effort to promote. I still link to Etsy, but not activily. If I am in a forum that allows links, and a topic that one of my items would be a good fit comes up, I’ll post a link. But, I never use Etsy’s promotional materials. You are better off just listing your shop and showing some highlights.